Kaitlyn stood infront of a floor-length mirror in her dorm room. A mint green spaghetti-strap dress hugged her athletic frame and she wore tan sandals with a low heel. Her bright blue eyes studied her features. Shiny, and freshly washed, chestnut brunette hair tied in pigtails with bright green bows tied tight around each pigtail to hold it in place. Freckles adorned her face on her cheeks and near her nose, one of her favorite features. A very light smatter of lipgloss covered her lips. She twisted her head to see her bright and polished pair of tulip earrings in each ear, danging from their chains. Emerald green and silver sparkled from them, as her earrings waved in the air.

Then her eyes, a never-ending ocean of blue, looked over her body, ocassionally twisting to look at herself in different angles. From her uncovered shoulders, to her belly, and down her legs. While not completely petite, muscles shone in her athleticism. Then, she moved to her slender hands. Freshly moisturized and manicured. Fingernails cut short and painted with a clear coat of sparkling nail polish. Lastly, her eyes fell down to feet. Also freshly moisturized, and she previously gave herself a pedicure. Toenails cut short, and painted with the same clear sparkling nail polish. She was happy with how well-kept her kept her hands and feet.

With a giggle, she twirled cutely in front of the mirror. ‘I’m pretty,’ she thought, confidently. ‘I look nice, dress well. I’m pretty,” she confirmed. A bright smile danced on her lips. ‘I highlight my favorite parts of myself. I adore my freckles, and I keep my hands and feet spotless. I wear a small amount of make-up. Enough to look like I try, but no where near enough to make me unregonizable.’ Kailtyn twirled again, letting the folds of her skirt expand out from her movements. ’And I think I’ve surrounded myself with enough people here that would appreciate it,’ she thought with a giggle. ‘I’m pretty. I just need to be more confident,’ she smiled, brightly.

Word Count: 344 words
Note: Thoughts are italicized.

Kaitlyn opened the door to her closet, her blue eyes widened in horror, as she found a skeleton reading a book in her closet. "Ahhh!" She yelled, running out of the room.

Every day, all day, I’m so busy!
I have to go there, I have to go here!
I feel like I’m traveling everywhere,
For both appointments and unplanned excursions.
My heart tightens and races just thinking about it!
I never have a moment to spare, and cannot find time to read my favorite book.
Cannot budget in enough time to call friends or family.
I’m always on the move like a motion blur.
I’m there enough to see, but not there enough to engage.

There are not enough hours … minutes … seconds in the day to help me get through everything!
All I want to learn! All I want to see! All I want to visit!
I have a to do list a mile long. A to be read pile stacked up to the ceiling. A to be played list far exceeding my computer’s memory storage.
Every day, all day, I simply cannot find the time to do anything.

But, when that familiar noise sounds.

“Bing!”

I drop everything I’m doing to look at my phone. To the latest text message. The latest social media message. The latest news story. The latest album drop. The latest reminder. The latest announcement.

And it does not stop there, as I then spend hours scrolling through my phone, forgetting everything else.

Kaitlyn left her Common Room, her brow furrowed. She was dressed in her pink tank top, white skort, and sandals. ‘How come every time I try to practice yoga inside of the castle, someone manages to find me and start a conversation? Am I really that friendly of a person? I need to find a place to do this inside before I’m forced to do so,’ she thought as she stopped at an intersection in the corridor. Taking a left would bring her deeper into the dark and damp dungeons. Taking a right would bring her further into the castle.

‘I’ve never ventured into the dungeons. Most students steer clear of them … but is it appropriate for me to practice yoga down there? It’s sooo dark,’ Kailtyn glanced down the hallway. ‘Eh, who cares? I’m going,’ she thought. With a bright smile, she took a left and headed deeper into the dungeons.

As Kaitlyn moved further away from the light, her blue eyes became accustomed to the darkness. It was becoming easier to see, just as she was about to pass a room. With a shrug, she turned to the room. Despite the limited light, she was able to discern a table in the room.

With a giggle, Kaitlyn entered the dark dungeon room and rolled out her yoga mat. Its colors were more easily seen in the room. Slipping off her sandals, she stood on her mat with her feet planted on the mat. She extended her arms wide and moved her right foot up slowly. First to her calf, then all the way up to her thigh. Swaying a little, she was able to move her body ever so slightly to maintain her balance. With a smile, she closed her eyes, and began to slowly count to thirty, executing an excellent tree pose.

Once those were finished. She laid down on her mat, slowly moving her body to a repetition of twenty-five cat-cow poses. After those were complete, she giggled. As her eyes were accustomed to the darkness, she slid her feet back into her sandals and rolled up her mat. She left the dungeon, skipping along the way, heading back to the Slytherin Common Room. ‘I actually liked doing that in the dark. I should do that more often,’ she thought with a giggle.

Kaitlyn stood up from her bed. With a bright smile, she placed her nail polish containers back in the drawer by her bed. She glanced at her fingernails and toenails. All painted a light pastel blue with mini pink tulips painted on her thumbs and big toes. Her skin was freshly moisturized and looking fabulous, as always.

Kaitlyn stood at her wardrobe. ‘I cannot wait to dress in pretty spring colors for Minnie. I want her to feel comfortable around me. I need a less formal dress,’ she thought.

After rummaging a little, Kaitlyn tried on a pastel yellow sundress with flowers. She twirled again in front of the mirror. ‘I think she’ll like this. I love how the pastel brings out my eyes,’ she giggled. ‘I have no idea why I’m thinking of Minnie so much … Actually, scratch that. I know why … I developed a crush on her,’ she finally admitted, a pink flush blooming on her face, accentuating her freckles.

“Oooh, I have an idea!” Kaitlyn exclaimed. “I think I’ll write her a poem.” She sauntered over to her desk. She took out several plain sheets of parchment paper, her inkwell, and a quill. She began to write, letting her feelings out.

Yellow and black
Green and silver
Mixing them can only be interesting.
As pastels, they can light up the room.
As bold colors, they can speak volumes!

First meetings in a ballroom.
One wishing to practice,
the other yearning to practice.
Both are perfect for each other.
Spinning and talking
Getting to know each other.
Their melodies are enough to satiate their hunger
And yet leave enough room to be curious.

The ever-curious snake reflected on their time together
as mentions of a ballroom dance were exclaimed from the rooftops!
And invited the badger to come with glee.

Two souls intertwining on the dance floor,
Not without strife, yet with a constant companion.
Their voices were laced with happiness as they grew closer.

Time mends, breaks, changes, attracts.
Their hearts fluttered and intertwined,
Growing used to each other.
Trusting each other.
Relying on each other.

Until the clock strikes on the realization,
a crush has been forming.
And then I speak, clear as a whistle,
confidently and sure of myself.
“I like you. May I take you on a date?”
Reverberates through the air
And in your mind
And in your heart.
Just as it does in mine.
Without a hesitation,
I hope you decide to take the plunge together.

“That’s so beautiful!” She gushed. “I’m happy I wrote it,” she smiled and returned to her closet, sliding her feet into peach-colored low-heeled sandals. “I look so cute.”

Her blue eyes returned to her love note. ‘As much as I love this … I’m still too scared to admit to Minnie that I like her … I think I’ll save it for now,’ she smiled. She safely stored her love note in her trunk, before turning on her heel and leaving her dorm.

Alice walked down the hallway with an Herbology book tucked under her arm. While it was the type of class where it was very easy to get dirty, she enjoyed it. At her family’s estate, they had this big garden their house elf tended to. It was full of dittany, her favorite magical plant! Since she was kept home a lot, and got bored very easily, she sometimes ventured outside to the family garden to help either house elf. While Dittany was not a good representation of magical plants, it gave her some valuable experience.

Being a daughter of her sorcerer family, Alice was under pressure to do well in her classes. When she received her Hogwarts letter, along with Abigail, their parents bragged about their incredibly smart daughters to other sorcerer families. Sure, she loved her family, but it only provided an additional stress factor to her already stressful life. ‘At least, here at Hogwarts, I get a reprieve from all of that,’ she thought.

Bringing her mind back to reality, Alice turned a corner and stopped when she noticed a door. ‘Has this always been here?’ she thought, as she approached the door. Hesitating slightly, she turned the doorknob and headed into the tunnel. It was dark and musty. Her low heels vibrated over the stones as the floor of the tunnel. It felt never-ending. Eventually, she ended up at a false wall. She touched the wall, believing it to solid. But, she was able to pass right through its barrier. So, She pushed through and emerged to the other side on the grounds of Hogwarts, specifically near the Herbology greenhouse. “Oh, cool!” She exclaimed. “This looks to be useful!”

The Sun on my face warms my cheeks.
The light breeze is not too cold, and not too hot.
Just right to cool down, singing in the air
Gracing every object it touches. One by one. Bush by bush. Tree by tree.
Brushing flowers and leaves with a desire to be seen
To be smelled. To be adored.
Plants and grass sprout from the dirt
Rising higher and higher.
Beautifying the landscape giving a splatter of color!
Iris! Lavender! Rose! Tulip! Sunflower! Carnations!
Oh Demeter, thank you for the blessing to us mere mortals!
The scents mix to a beautiful aroma!

The chirps from the baby birds as a melody for all to hear.
An eagle soars overhead, its mighty wings propelling it forward.
The hoot of an owl, oh such a smart creature!
The running water of brooks, streams, and rivers cascade over rocks, through turns, and empty in ponds and lakes.
Each drip, each drop, soothing to the mind.

The days grow longer second by second.
A hesitant warmth is just right to satiate the soul.
Cool, crisp evenings to breathe back in life.
Refreshing rain, slowly pittering and pattering against all surfaces
To give nourishment, a reprieve!
A hopeful optimism of the day for the future!